He frowned, the grooves between his brows deepening as if every word she said was a blow. “I-I didn’t know. I should have thought or realized or…been less selfish. I know saying I’m sorry doesn’t make up for everything I’ve done to you, but it’s all I have to offer. Well, that and my promise—as a man, as a father. I’ll never leave you high and dry again. I want to be a part of Hallie’s life. And I know you have no reason to believe me. Just give me a chance. Let me take you two to dinner.”
Did he understand what he was asking? “Cash, she’ll be six months old tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
Tessa tried not to roll her eyes. “You don’t know anything about babies, do you?”
He had the good grace to grimace. “No.”
“She doesn’t eat solid food yet.”
“Oh. Do you, um”—he pointed vaguely at her breasts—“feed her yourself?”
“She’s on bottles now.” Another fact that crushed Tessa. But with so much stress, not to mention the upheaval in her schedule with Hallie going to daycare, it was no surprise. She couldn’t lay the blame for that at Cash’s feet, but his absence surely hadn’t helped.
“Got it.” His expression said he wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.
“I doubt she’ll sit quietly at a restaurant long enough for us to eat a meal and talk. She’s getting active. She likes to get on her hands and knees and rock back and forth.”
“Why?”
Was he that clueless? “She’s going to start crawling any day, and she wants the freedom to roll and stretch. She’s sitting up by herself, too. She’s made a lot of progress in the last few weeks.”
“Because she’s smart like her mommy.”
Tessa didn’t correct him. He might not grasp that Hallie’s newfound abilities were a statement of her motor skills, not her intelligence. But he was trying to be nice—and grovel—so she let it slide.
“I just don’t think dinner is going to work.”
“A walk. A trip to the park. Something.” He grabbed her shoulders. “Anything. I just want to spend time with you two. Please.”
Before she could answer, Hallie began to fuss, which quickly spiraled into a wail.
“This is perfect. She’s awake!”
She was, and Tessa had run out of excuses. The truth was, she’d been wishing for an active father figure in Hallie’s life, and Cash stood right here, saying he’d be true-blue. Even if she had good reason to doubt him, maybe she should let him try. It wasn’t as if she and Zy were going to get together anytime soon.
“I’ll need to change her and warm her a bottle and—”
“I’ll help.”
“I got this.” Tessa backed away. She didn’t want him in her house, not until she was at least halfway sure she could trust him. “Why don’t you head around back and sit under the patio cover?”
He looked appalled. “It’s August. It’s hotter than f—”
“I know. I’ve got a ceiling fan out there. You’ll find the switch next to the back porch light. If you want to meet Hallie, I’ll bring her out back to feed her.” And if he wanted to avoid the heat more than he wanted to meet his daughter…well, that would tell her something, too.
“All right. I’ll wait out back. Thank you.”
With a nod, Tessa shut the front door, hoping like hell she didn’t regret this. On her way to Hallie’s room, she passed the chair she’d been sitting in and swiped her phone. Vaguely, she thought of texting Zy to tell him that Cash had returned. Once upon a time, he would have cared. He would have come over right away and insisted on standing sentry in case she needed him. But the cooler winds of spring had given way to the sweltering oppression of a Louisiana summer. He was gone. Hell, for all she knew, he was spending time with Madison.
Even the woman’s name pissed her off.
Hallie howled again, and Tessa jogged down the hall. “Coming, baby girl.”
When she rounded the corner, Hallie sat up in her crib, cheeks red and tears perched on the edges of her long, wispy lashes. She stopped wailing and dialed her unhappiness back to a pout when she caught sight of Tess.
“What’s the matter, sweet pea? Bad dream?”
Hallie stuck her pink bottom lip out just a bit more.
“Come here.” She reached into the crib.
Her daughter met her halfway, raising her arms like she couldn’t wait for Tessa to hold her.
These were some of the moments she loved being a mommy most—the closeness, the cuddling, the sweetness. The fact Hallie seemed to love it, too, filled Tessa’s heart full.
After a fresh diaper and a wardrobe change into a pink dress with a cute matching floral headband, she smiled big at her daughter. “You hungry?”
Hallie made grunting noises, slapping her little legs as she gurgled and grinned.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She lifted Hallie off her changing table, warmed her bottle, then took a deep breath.